New Updates

Did you think I will be skimping on the news? Thanks to Spoilerfix and Ausiello, here are the goodies. Read on: Scrubs, Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girlsand maybe Grey's Anatomy:

Question: I hope you had fun at the Emmys! Anyway, I just read that Zach Braff doesn't want to do Scrubs anymore and that this is his last season. They'll have to stop the show if he leaves, right? — Anne Marie

Ausiello: Wrong! I cornered series creator Bill Lawrence on the red carpet and asked him point-blank whether Scrubs could go on next season without the Braffster. His answer floored me. "Yeah, I think so," he replied. "We'll have to see how we do this year. If we're doing really well, it'll be hard to stop." OK, but who on god's green earth could replace him? "I think that Zach could walk out the door and a new piece of casting could walk in with a voice-over. Or Zach could walk out the door and Donald Faison could walk in and his voice-over could say, "I don't know what I'm going to do without J.D. around." Donald Faison as the new star of Scrubs!?!? Count me in! Actually, count me and Donald in. Seconds later, I floated the idea by Turk's portrayer and he was game. "We'll see what happens, but that would be nice," he said. "Do I want it to be the last year? Of course not. I like making money, and I have a great time on the show."

Question: You looked absolutely awesome on the red carpet for the Emmys. I saw you in the background of the E! preshow. Now, after that shameless intro, I was hoping to score some Veronica Mars scoop. — Erin

Ausiello: And Veronica Mars scoop you shall receive. I asked Rob Thomas whether Piz, the new hottie in Veronica's life this season, will pose a serious threat for LoVe. "I think Veronica and Logan's struggles are going to have little to do with Piz. They're two pretty intense characters on their own, and I think most of their issues are going to be with each other. I don't want to play some traditional thing where Piz is insinuating himself into the relationship, or attempting to break them up, or doing anything other than being a nice guy who happens to be around Veronica a lot, due largely to proximity, but they also get entangled in a couple of cases together. Logan should just be worried about Logan." Piz, meanwhile, is "from a suburb of Portland, Oregon. With all the sort of brooding, rich bad boys we've had on our show, he's sort of the antithesis of that. He's much more a Lloyd Dobler, frenetic kid with a lot of words in his mouth, and a very similar middle-class background as Veronica. So he should have a real different energy than, say, Troy or Logan." BTW, check out my column in this week's issue of TV Guide to get your first look at Piz (aka up-and-comer Chris Lowell) on Mars. If you're straight and female or gay and male, I think you'll be pleased with what you see.

Question: Any chance we'll see Aaron Ashmore (Troy) back on Veronica Mars? — Becca

Ausiello: As Rob Thomas reminds us, "He kinda got another job on us." That job, of course, would be playing Jimmy Olsen on Smallville. Still, Rob says, "We thought about bringing Troy back quite a bit, and if we could ever work out a guest-star [thing], we wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on that. But we felt like we had just put Veronica together with a lot of similar boys. If there did develop another love interest for her, we kind of want him to come from a different place." Like, say, a suburb of Portland, Oregon?

Question: Lauren Graham and Matthew Perry? I can't think of a better couple! Please tell me it's real! — Emily

Ausiello: As I mentioned in the Ausiello Report, it certainly looked real at Entertainment Weekly's pre-Emmy bash on Saturday. They weren't making love on the buffet table or anything like that, but they had a very cutesy rapport that suggested they've been, um, on friendly terms for quite some time. (Did you see how I cleverly worked in that Friends pun? It's a gift.)

Question: Ed Herrmann and Kelly Bishop rock! Any idea if they will get some type of story line of their own this season on Gilmore Girls? — Elizabeth

Ausiello: You already know that Richard will get a teaching gig at Yale and Emily will start training young girls in the fine art of etiquette. What you don't know is that later in the season, Richard will face a medical crisis that show-runner Dave Rosenthal says will have a "profound impact" on the entire Gilmore clan. "Health issues can create stress and conflict and trauma in a family, but they can also bring the family together," he adds. "It's something that will affect not only Emily but Rory and Lorelai, too."

Episode 7.04: 'S Wonderful 'S Marvelous
Airdate: October 2006

08/17 - Emily is arrested because it is illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving in Connecticut. She is not happy and her verbatim towards the police officer leads to a funny scene. At an art show, Rory befriends two artsy college students named Lucy and Olivia. Both will become recurring guest stars. Richard also appears. Source: SpoilerFix.com

Question: I need more clues on the major season-premiere death you teased about in the Ausiello Report! At least tell us what show it happens on! — Kelly

Ausiello: It's one of these three shows: Lost, Veronica Mars or Grey's Anatomy.

Go Ahead and Giggle

... I know I did.

CW: Failing Before the Seaon Starts

Just read and be glad you haven't seen them in person... yet.

A Little Porn For Your Pleasure

Well, it's not really porn, per se. It's Lauren Graham's new flick, The Amateurs.

Originally titled "The Moguls", The Amateurs takes place in Butterface Fields, a little town like Stars Hollow where everyone knows you and your name. Sounds familiar, right? The only difference is, Stars Hollow gets its attraction from its quirky stories and its small time charm.

Butterface Fields? Well, it wants to be known for more than that. Well, at least for one man who thinks so.

Andy Sargentee (Jeff Bridges), a man that tries to come up with a get rich quick scheme, comes up with the brilliant idea to make a smut film just to prove he can be the boss of him, which is one thing his son sees in his current, rich stepdad.

It's short of hilarious. Joe Pantoliano (remember him in The Matrix and Momento?) is named 'Some Idiot'. Ted Danson plays an overt gay guy that boasts to have sexual prowess over the opposite sex. Judy Greer is in it and she's exceptionally funny. She wants to be part of the porn movie. BTW, did you know she used to be Sean Gunn's (Kirk of GG) roomie? Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous) sort of reprises his role as a film geek that gets to record the events (movie and life) as it unfolds before, during and after making the smut film.

A lot have said it and I do believe it: It's the most innocent adult film ever made.

I really don't know what Lauren (as Peggy) brings to the movie but it would be nice to see her outside of Gilmore Girls. Trust me, if you haven't seen her in anything other than GG, you're in for a surprise.

In Bad Santa, she played a Jewish bartender who had a fetish for Santa. (Eww, her saying, "Fuck me, Santa" makes me shiver!)

In Seeing Other People, she played a rich sister in a loveless marriage that gets off by watching other people screw. (Kinky!)

In other words, if you put LG on a pedestal and don't want to soil the good Lorelai image, stay away from this film or at least the 2 I just mentioned.

Otherwise, go watch how porn is made. Heaven help us all if Jeff Bridges or Ted Danson would be the people that would get us to watch smut with a plot!

Filling Up the GG Goodie Bag

Thanks to the Ausiello dude:

Question: Please, please, please tell me that Gilmore Girls isn't planning to make Lorelai pregnant and then do a whole "Who's the daddy" mystery. That would definitely veer into jump-the-shark territory. — Karl

Ausiello: Allow me to put your mind at ease. Better yet, let show-runner Dave Rosenthal put your mind at ease. "That will not be happening — I promise," he says of a potential paternity stumper. "There are no sharks anywhere near our set and there will be no jumping of them." Rosenthal can also promise that within the first couple of episodes, Stars Hollow will experience a bit of a baby boom. Translation: Luke's sister, Liz, isn't the only one expecting. "There will be more than two babies born this season." Oh, and one more thing: "There also will be a marriage this season," he reveals. "I can’t say exactly when, but somebody’s getting hitched." Send me your guesses! My money's on Paris and Doyle.

Question: I couldn't disagree with you more re: the Luke-Lorelai vs. Lorelai-Christopher chemistry on Gilmore Girls, but to each his own. More importantly, I get the impression from your comments and your interview with Dave Rosenthal that we are never again going to see L/L as a couple on GG. The most we should hope for is a last-minute reunion in the series finale. Do you think this is the most likely scenario? — Cally

Ausiello: It depends how you interpret Dave Rosenthal's following comments: "Do I think Luke and Lorelai ultimately are soul mates? I do. I really do. But does that mean they’re going to run off together tomorrow and live happily ever after? No. They’re at a point where they both have some regrowing and changing to do, and some things to figure out."

Question: What happened to my favorite Lorelai-Luke fan? Have you been brainwashed? — Lou

Ausiello: For the record, my position on this issue has not changed: I'm still pro-Luke and Lorelai. But after the events of last season, they clearly need a break from one another — and us from them. Let's hope absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Question: Do you have any more information on the time lapse that may or may not occur between the first and second Gilmore Girls episodes? — Jennifer

Ausiello: Actually, I just learned that GG's traditional summertime skip will take place between Episodes Three and Four. The first three episodes are essentially one continuous arc.

Question: Dude, that GG/VM Logan-crossover scoop? Best. Ever. Where am I sending you that case of Snapple? — Julie

Ausiello: Sure, now you want to send me Snapple. Where were you two weeks ago when I was lying on the floor of the Ritz Carlton twitching like Whitney in rehab. But I'm not bitter. And to prove it, I'm going to share with you what Rob Thomas had to say about the Oct. 24 crossover, which, as many of you pointed out, isn't technically a crossover since Matt Czuchry isn't playing Logan Huntzberger on Mars. (Cue me rolling my eyes and making a "W" with my fingers.) "The network suggested it, as [happens with] many of these things. But it's one of those times that I'm happy about the suggestion. I'm excited that it's a real actor… rather than a Top Model — not that I think our Top Models have done a bad job." Rob confirms that Czuchry will play Charlie Stone, half brother of Mars' Logan (Jason Dohring), but that's all he'll confirm. "I want to save the rest of the show."

Ronnie and Piz Were Sitting on a Tree... Then Logan Showed Up

No, not THIS Logan but THIS Logan.

Yep, per Ausiello, he had confirmed that CW is trying to use all its power to get viewers to watch Veronica Mars. Even if it means "borrowing" cast members from the show right before it, right? Now, the Logan/Logan sandwich may commence without Kristin Veitch's interference.

Want more? Well, at least I've found a picture of Wallace's new roommate and possible romantic interest of V, the Pizzinator. Okay, it's my term but I think Stosh should've remained rather than Piz. Heck, all I can say is that he has to be better than Jackie as a season add-on. Ooh, and this is Mac's new roommate. Hmm, me thinks Logan or Dick may have wandering eyes over her direction.

GILMORE GIRLS NEWS

More Spoilers from Ausiello:

Question: Give me whatever you have about Marty on Gilmore Girls. Is he returning? — Steevyn

Ausiello: Dave Rosenthal confirmed Wayne Wilcox's return in my Q&A with him. I don't have an episode count or first air date yet, but I'm working on it.

Question: Anything Gilmore Girls-related. Please. — Chloe

Ausiello: I'm hearing that a mishap at Luke's Diner will lead Kirk to open his own eatery across the street.

Question: OK, who do you think Lorelai should end up with: Luke or Christopher? — Jessica

Ausiello: I'd like to see Luke and Lorelai end up together, but I'm not opposed to a Lorelai-Christopher pairing in the short-term. Lauren Graham and David Sutcliffe have an easy-breezy chemistry and, unlike L&L, I don't feel the need to cover my eyes when they round third base. There, I said it. Now commence with the stone-throwing.

Question: Is it true? Is someone having a baby on Gilmore Girls this season? — Lisa D.

Ausiello: Considering Liz announced that she was preggers on May 2, it stands to reason that a baby will pop out at some point this season. That's what we in the biz call a no-brainer.

NOTES: Kirk running his own diner? Surely, would you eat at a place where you know the man runs naked during REM state and can't hold a job down to save his life? I am so glad the preggy wheels on the GG women have been put to a stop. I think making Rory or Lorelai pregnant would make this season the FINAL season.

Lastly, a parting McSteamy teaser:

Question: Have you received any confirmation that Eric Dane is returning to Grey's? Or is it just pure speculation? — Donna

Ausiello: No official confirmation, but there's mounting evidence to suggest that McSteamy will be a major part of Grey's this season. I think I already told you guys that ABC served a special McSteamy martini at its press tour bash. Seems like an odd thing to do if the character weren't coming back. And Shonda Rimes herself admitted in Friday's Grey's-themed Ausiello Report that Dane made a huge splash during his brief, one-episode stint last February. But the most compelling clue comes from a source over at CSI: Miami. My South Beach spy says Dane was originally approached to play Natalia's soon-to-be-introduced shady ex, but Miami producers were informed that he was "unavailable." Rob Estes will now be stalking Eva La Rue instead. Bottom line: McSteamy's McReturning.

Thanks to Ausiello who's back doing the chats!